Billydoc

I'm in Medicare Advantage product doing UM reviews. Also WAH position but I don't know for how much longer? Things are just not what they used to be, and we just lost quite a bit of the workforce to layoffs. Are you at BC/BS of TX/OK/IL? I know Anthem/WellPoint was more prevalent in CA?

Yes, I'm one of those people who works for insurance company, just not BC/BS of TX,OK,IL. I thought I might hear from some folks on TX forum? Guess not. Thank You anyway.

Bump. Any takers? Not sure if this was the right forum for a TX job question? Mods, kindly move post if it could get more exposure elsewhere. Thank You. Billy.

The company is Health Care Service Corporation based in Richardson, Tx. I currently work for even a larger insurance company which is doing business all over U.S. It's work at home position which I was able to take with me when my family moved to TX. But it is not clear how much my current position will be afloat as my current employer just went through major acquisition, and we are losing some seasoned folks with this company left and right. This has nothing to do with performance issues, just being a casualty to the corporate merger etc. Has anyone on here worked or is working for BC/BS of TX,OK, IL? Just interested in your honest opinions. I found some interesting opportunities on their career site and I thing with substantial experience under my belt I could land a job there. But I will likely be giving up work at home option, on the other hand I will not be working basically second (unpaid) shift every day and some weekends just to keep up with workload. Thank You in advance.

The company is Health Care Service Corporation based in Richardson, Tx. I currently work for even a larger insurance company which is doing business all over U.S. It's work at home position which I was able to take with me when my family moved to TX. But it is not clear how much my current position will be afloat as my current employer just went through major acquisition, and we are losing some seasoned folks with this company left and right. This has nothing to do with performance issues, just being a casualty to the corporate merger etc. Has anyone on here worked or is working for BC/BS of TX,OK, IL? Just interested in your honest opinions. I found some interesting opportunities on their career site and I thing with substantial experience under my belt I could land a job there. But I will likely be giving up work at home option, on the other hand I will not be working basically second (unpaid) shift every day and some weekends just to keep up with workload. Thank You in advance.

Sorry I misunderstood the question. In this case OP is on the right track. You can't go wrong with Texas A&M or Arlington program. I also live in Texas. But I've been a nurse for over 25 years and can't really give advice on what is relevant now. Good luck to the OP on the search.

If you are doing RN to BSN program at WGU there are no clinicals required. And it's fully online. Hope it helps.

Hi featherzRN, BSN. It's good to talk to you again. As you know from being a graduate of WGU it's a great school. No if's and but's about it. If you really need an MBA for your work then you can't go wrong with WGU MBA HC track. But if you were looking to stand out as an MBA in it's world of rankings it won't be a program for that. As you may be aware MBA world is good ole boys and girls club. If you don't graduate from so-called "top 10" or "top 20" MBa programs from very expensive business schools the value of it as a stand-alone degree is minimal. One of the biggest perks in those big B-schools is networking which you'll come in contact while in school. You are basically paying for the access to powers that be in that world. I don't think WGU will be on par with those schools, but not in terms of education itself, but in terms of ability to network for post-MBA world. But if you wanted to expand your knowledge base, or to have that "MBA box" checked off it's perfectly legit and cost-effective option. I still think that I'll meet some folks even via online and we'll be able to network further. But circling back to my original intent to get BSN from WGU is more of a priority to me than MBA would be. B/C I was under impression that it's insurmountable hurdle to produce my stupid foreign diploma from over 25 years ago I thought BSN/MSN route was closed to me. I hope you are right, and I'll be willing to take again any undergrad courses to just "plug that hole" and always have my records available here in the future. But my initial contact with WGU admission counselor lead me to believe that it's a big deal, and she sounded like it won't fly. Therefore I opted out for the next logical thing on my list which was MBA in Health care. Thank You for advice. I'll probably have to finish this term in MBA, and if they allow I'll switch to BSN, and may be will re-visit MBA later. If you have time and energy just go for it. I quite frankly have neither, that's why I have to pick my "battles" in life wisely LOL.

Great thread! Lots of useful info on here. I need some advice from you WGU grads and Guru's in the field. I initially applied for RN to BSN but while in the process of applying quickly changed my major to MBA Health Care track. Now I'm in MBA program (not far gone yet) think that my initial instincts were right. I've been an RN for 23 years. I have B.S in bio/chem (did it for premed) and and M.S in Acupuncture. I love business side of things but not sure an MBA degree will do much for me in terms of career advancement. Just like BSN probably won't, but at least it's in the profession I'm employed in. The problem for me applying to RN-BSN, or rather just requesting to switch major at WGU is that I'm a foreign grad. Both mu B.S and M.S degrees were completed in U.S, but initial nursing degree is foreign diploma. The Country where I was born has disintegrated in early 90's, and so have most of its health and educational structures. I hold RN license in 3 States and a compact one in TX where I live now. Not sure what my options are but I really wanted to get either BSN or MSN/Ed, considering I already hold B.S and BPS/M.S in health-related fields, but not nursing. I know for sure it will be impossible for me to get anything out of the Country which I left as a political refugee, and which nullified my citizenship as soon as I declared intentions to leave it (back in late 80s). If anybody could advise what I can possibly do. I don't think that WGU will have a problem with my switching the major, but getting into BSN or MSN seems like a challenge to me. Thank You for your advice and help in advance.

Couldn't agree with you more. This is unbeatable and legit. I have been employed, Thank God, for my entire 20 year career. We'll give it a shot. TYVM.

Hi all! great thread and lots of great info. With much info posted some confusion is an order lol. I've just relocated to TX. I've been and RN for over 20years (licensed in NY/NJ) hopefully soon will get my endorsed TX license too. But I'm foreign diploma educated nurse. I also have B.S (premed) and M.S in a different field. I never thought I'd need BSN but w/ everything going on in healthcare these days it really can't hurt. So cheap and relatively fast are two most deciding factors. It looks like WGU / TX will work for me. I read many pros and cons on here. Anybody currently attending and loving it? Also any foreign-educated nurses in their program on here. Please give feedback or shoot PM to me. TYVM.

Any takers? BTW, since I last posted here my criminal background check was rec' d by BON. So,p at this point there is nothing else that I could submit to them as I've never held a license in any foreign country. I've tried to call BON but to no avail. Has anybody been successful in reaching them? I never rec'd reply to my earlier last week e-mail. How do I reach them? TYVM.

LifeCrisis, you've got excellent advise here already from those who were smart enough to leave NY long time ago LOL. 5 years ago instead of moving here we've moved from Brooklyn to Northern NJ (that's some "upgrade" haha). One thing is for sure. Consider visiting area first, look and drive around. I'm also in the North Texas. DFW are is a huge metroplex, so you'd want to live close to where you work for sure. Also, there are some toll roads in and out of Dallas, but most of the time you could avoid using those. Hower, be prepared for rush hour traffic. At the peak time it could be as bad as NYC/NJ traffic. I'd recommend Northern TX as it has wheather seasons. Yes, we moved during last summer, so this heat sucks. But it's usually for 2-3 months. We have temps now lower than in Tri-State area especialy in early morning hours. I don't know what your personal situation is and if living near good schools is a concern for you? It was for me, that's why we've picked northern suburb of Dallas called Plano. But there are many more up and coming communities here. Check out Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Richardson. I love it here. Hope it helps and good luck on your move.

Hi all, I've tried to resurrect one thread on this subject recently. But it didn't get much traction on here, though it was titled "California endorsement" I'm paraphrasing. So I hope mods will let this one stay as I did not get any replies in that thread. I'm foreign-educated nurse who's been living in US almost for the past 25 years. I passed my NCLEX back in 1993 in NY where I practiced for the 20 years. I also have active NJ RN lic by endorsement. We recently moved to Texas and I'm in the process of obtaining RN license via endorsement. So far so good. Both of my RN lic from NY and NJ were endorsed via NURSYS service. I had my livescan finger prints done (though it still shows as pending on TX BON website). I also passed TX BON jurisprudence exam. But here's my question. There is one more item shows as "required" when I check my application status online: It says "licensure Russia". ??? I never claimed to have any foreign license. My entire nursing career for the past 20 years has been right here in USA? I was born and raised in USSR (Russia), also my initial nursing ed was done there, but I've never been licensed in Russia or worked there as a nurse. I actually have left that country within one month after graduation from nursing school. I have contacted TX BON via e-mail 3 days ago but have not heard from them yet. I just wanted to hear if someone else had same/similar situation and how did you deal with it? I know when I endorsed my NY RN license to NJ they did not ask me about foreign "license" b/c this has never been part of my app, neither it it is for TX BON? Your feedback is much appreciated.

OK, I know this a "blast from the past" but may be some folks could chime in. I'm also foreign-educated nurse who's been living in US almost for the past 25 years. I passed my NCLEX back in 1993 in NY where I practiced for the 20 years. I also have active NJ RN lic by endorsement. We recently moved to Texas and I'm in the process of obtaining RN license via endorsement. So far so good. Both of my RN lic from NY and NJ were endorsed via NURSYS service. I had my livescan finger prints done (though it still shows as pending on TX BON website). I also passed TX BON juriceprudence exam. But here's my question. There is one more item shows as "required" when I check my application status online: It says "lisensure Russia". ??? I never claimed to have any foreign license. All my nursing career for the past 20 years has been right here in USA? I was born and raised in USSR (Russia), also my initial nursing ed was done there, but I've never been licensed in Russia or worked thereas a nurse . I actually have left that country within one month after graduation from nursing school. In all fairness, I haven't contacted TX BON yet, but just wanted to hear if someone else had same/similar situation? I know when I endorsed my NY RN license to NJ they did not ask me about foreign "license" b/c this has never been part of my app, neither it it is for TX BON? Your feedback is much appreciated.